CLASS OF 2021

Featuring Dainava Petrulis

Remarkable! Resilient! Revolutionary!

My name is Dainava Petrulis. I’m 18 and I attend John Burroughs High School.


Describe your first experience with the arts while in the Burbank Unified Schools?
My first experience with the arts in BUSD was at Roosevelt Elementary. I remember loving the few hours a week my class would spend on art. I have the most vivid memories of the fourth grade in Ms. Walcoff’s class because she ensured we would regularly complete art projects. We made replicas of Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” with oil pastels, and created our own takes on neon pop art along with countless other  projects. Later that year, we had our Gold Rush Day. I was excited to be on the general store committee so I could make various mining materials out of art supplies.


What science or math experiences in BUSD impacted your future goals?
I can say with complete confidence that my science and math classes have impacted my goals for the future. I grew up always loving math, but I didn’t love science until high school. In regards to both subjects, I have challenged myself immensely by taking AP Calculus AB and BC,  alongside AP Physics 1 and 2. I think that goes to show how much I value my education in these subjects! I had an amazing experience in Calculus with Mr. Peebles as my teacher both junior and senior year. I sincerely enjoyed those classes because of the classroom environment and Mr. Peebles’ energetic teaching style. For physics, the same applies. I took my first physics class junior year with Mr. Madooglu, and now physics is by far my favorite branch of science. Naturally, I continued into AP Physics 2 this year. In the future, I plan on becoming an architect, so physics and math are huge aspects of that career path. The calculatory aspect is just as important as the design aspect, so my foundations in math and science will undoubtedly help me.


What advice do you have for younger students?
If I could offer two pieces of advice to younger students, they would be: get involved on campus, and challenge yourself. My experiences in all three BUSD schools I’ve attended have been amplified by extracurriculars. I’ve been a cheerleader since seventh grade, and I have been on ASB at both Luther Burbank Middle School and John Burroughs High School since seventh grade as well. Whether it’s joining a club, singing in the choir, or playing a sport, get involved. My experiences at schools since kindergarten would have been extremely dull if I had never taken the initiative to get myself involved. Additionally, I would advise younger students to challenge themselves. Take that honors biology course even if you think it could be difficult freshman year. Try AP European History if you have the slightest interest in that subject. I believe that educational challenges help you grow intellectually and psychologically, so challenge is a good thing in the long run.


Please share your plans for your future after graduation.
After I graduate, I plan on attending the University of Michigan where I plan on earning a degree in architecture, and then possibly continuing on to graduate school to earn my Master of Architecture degree.


What is the most important thing you’ve learned during the pivotal, history-making pandemic?
The most important thing that I have learned in the past year is to be flexible. In March of 2020, everything changed drastically. In most situations, I was forced to adjust to new practices. I didn’t like the fact that I wouldn’t be returning to school normally, but I had to get used to it. With so much change going on, I learned quickly to adapt to whatever life threw at me and to be willing to adjust to new circumstances.


Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
In 10 years, I can envision myself in the beginning of my career practicing as a licensed architect in a firm. My greatest inspiration for this career choice is my grandfather, who was an architect. He has inspired me to tie aspects of my Lithuanian heritage into my future work just as he always did. My Lithuanian culture features so many traditional methods of art and architecture, so I hope to be able to carry on that family legacy. I know the arts and sciences will play a continuous role in my career and I will never be able to escape them without changing my career path.

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